Today, unfortunately, the greatchurch feast day. What is this, now know the unit. And in the days of our great-grandmothers, they praised him more than the Nativity of Christ. Let's talk about how we prepared for this day and how our distant ancestors celebrated it.
Where did the name of this holiday come from?It turns out that the word "osovo" is a dish that was prepared especially for that day to treat all the domestic people. To do this, the hostess soaked the cooked cereal grains (wheat, barley, lentils, rice) in the juice of seeds (poppy, almond or walnut). The dish turned out to be lean. Oil was not put into it. It was allowed only adding a spoonful of honey to make the dish more nutritious. Sometimes he was replaced with kutya. Sochi people used this day in imitation of the biblical prophet Daniel. This parable refers to the Old Testament times. Pagan Julian the Apostate, wishing to poke himself at the believing fasting people, ordered all food on the market to sprinkle the blood of animals sacrificed to idols. Then the prophet Daniel ordered his young novices to feed on soaked grains and dried fruits. So believers were able to avoid making a polluted pagan meal.
Our distant ancestors were very fond of Christmas Eve.When he begins, they knew everything, from small to large. The holy tradition of his celebration was honored and passed on from generation to generation. It is noteworthy that many years ago Christmas Eve was celebrated more than once a year, and several. So, on December 24 (old style), or on January 6 (new), people celebrated the eve of the Nativity of Christ. It is this day today that is usually called Christmas Eve. But they also observed this tradition on the eve of the Epiphany - January 5 (old style), or January 18 (new), Annunciation, and Saturday of the first week of Lent.
Many states today celebrate this greatreligious holiday. The Russian Orthodox and Greek Catholic churches celebrate it on January 6 (according to the Julian calendar). From 7 to 19 January - the time of Christmas (when Christmas Eve has already ended). What is this, they know now, perhaps, only in the villages. About how these two holy weeks are held, will be described below. Countries that live according to the Gregorian calendar celebrate Christmas Eve on December 24th. It is noteworthy that the name of this holiday differs from state to state. So, in Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina it is Badnyak, or Badnidan, in Slovenia - Sveti večer, in Bulgaria - Bedny evening, in Ukraine - Svyatvechir.
It is known that this holiday is preceded bya strict Christmas fast, which lasts from November 28 to January 6. On Christmas Eve, the Orthodox do not eat until the first star. Her appearance is associated with the legend of the Bethlehem star, which heralds the birth of a holy baby. In the evening people did not gather on the table and did not sit down to supper. This could be done with the appearance of the first light in the sky. After that, our ancestors covered the table with a snow-white cloth, put on it a bunch of hay in memory of the manger, where the Savior was born, and put twelve fasting dishes - according to the number of disciples of Jesus Christ. They ate and glorified the Lord.
Not all countries observe a strict fast by preparingto celebrate Christmas Eve. Traditions of the Catholic Church say that this is considered a good rule, but not mandatory. In European countries, on Christmas Eve, they usually gather in a wide family circle at a festive table with fast food. The main figure here is the father of the family. Before the start of the meal, he reads an excerpt from the Gospel of Christmas. Then those present taste the gifts of the lavish house. As a rule, the table is always left empty and put the device in case someone else joins the celebration.
Many good, but, unfortunately, today alreadyOur ancestors observed our rituals. As already mentioned above, Christmas Eve Orthodox people celebrated not only before Christmas, but before the day of consecration of water - Baptism. His traditions were connected with him. For example, such as the seeing off of deceased relatives and the expulsion of all evil spirits. To this end, in the Epiphany Eve in some provinces, the boys went around the yards with brooms, struck them at the gate and shouted that there were urine. It was believed that in this way they drove away evil spirits. All the relatives gathered for the meal on this holiday. We prepared necessarily kutya, compote of dried fruits or jelly, baked pancakes, cooked pea porridge. A lighted candle was put on the table and some food was put on a saucer for relatives who had left for another world. In many respects the Epiphany Christmas Eve reminded Christmas.
January 7 - right after Christmas Eve - peoplecelebrated Christmas. And then began the period of the Svjatok, which was called “the time from the star to the water”, that is, from the appearance of the first light in the sky on Christmas Eve to the consecration of water to Baptism. The word "Svyatki" means "holy, festive days." It has long been in Russia during this period did not play weddings, but the time spent a lot of fun: in songs, dances, festivals, disguise and satirical performances.
Our great-grandmothers knew what to cook on Christmas Eve. These ancient recipes for cooking Christmas meals are not forgotten. And today, any hostess, if desired, will be able to cook sochivo. Here is the recipe for this dish:
• 1 faceted glass of wheat grains;
• 100 g poppy;
• 100 g walnut kernels;
• 1 or 2 tablespoons of liquid honey;
• a little sugar.
Зерна пшеницы положить в деревянную ступку и pound the pestle until the shell of the grains has departed. In this case, it is necessary to pour a little warm boiled water into the mass. Then the husk is removed by washing the grain. Wheat is poured with water, set on fire and boiled until cooked. It turns out crumbly porridge. In a wooden mortar, the poppy is ground in the same way until the appearance of poppy milk. Add it to the porridge, put there honey, sugar and mix thoroughly. In the end put crushed walnut kernels into the mass. Really ready.
As previously stated, strict abstention fromambitious food preceded such a holiday as Christmas Eve. When this post begins, we know - November 28th. For five weeks it was impossible to eat animal products: meat, fish, milk, eggs, butter, cottage cheese, kefir and sour cream. But it was allowed all the lean: boiled potatoes with pickled mushrooms or cucumbers, steamed turnip, porridge on the water, lean bread, kvass.
• On the feast on the table with a white cloth seta wax candle and lit it with the words: “Burn, candle, the righteous sun, shine on the little souls in paradise and us, alive, gray earth-mother, our cattle, our fields”. If the light burns with fun, then the year will be prosperous and fruitful; if it blinks and trembles, you will have to tighten your belts.
• In the evening, we looked out the window: if the night is clear and stellar, the summer will be generous for the harvest of berries, and the year will be good for raising livestock.
• If a snowstorm broke out before Christmas Eve - the bees will swarm well.
• What is the number of Christmas Eve? January 6.The very height of the Russian winter. It was expected that the yard at this time will be raging frosts. However, this is not always the case. Suddenly a thaw could begin. And if suddenly it happens on a holiday of drops, it means that you should not expect a good harvest from your garden. But buckwheat probably will be good.
• On a holiday of frost on the trees - to good bread.
How does the church celebrate the Christmas Eve holiday?Orthodox people still have a tradition to attend the church after the evening meal in order to make an all-night Christmas vigil. There at this time a service is being performed, consisting of Great hours with reading excerpts from the Gospel and the brief accomplishment of the Fine. It passes as follows: clergymen read prayers on the ambon and put on robes. Then comes the time of the Great Vespers with the reading of the parishs and the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great, at the end of which the Great Blessed Sacrament is performed.
And here is how the Catholic Christmas Eve is celebrated inchurches. Here, as usual, on December 24 in the morning they serve Mass according to the rite of Advent, and the evening of Christmas begins at dark after midnight. In some countries in Europe and Poland, this service is called "shepherd".
We told about a big church holiday,preceding the Nativity of Christ, which is called Christmas Eve. What it is, as it was noted, what value it had in the religion of different countries - all the necessary information can be found in this article.
